QuickBooks Online Sync Basics

1. What is QuickBooks Online Sync?

QuickBooks Online Sync is a feature of Work allowing customers to sync information between Work and QuickBooks Online. When enabled, information will automatically sync (two-way) or push (one-way) between the two systems.

2. Why would my company need QuickBooks Online Sync?

QuickBooks Online Sync automatically updates information between the two systems and helps to avoid double-entry of data. QuickBooks Online Sync helps businesses stay organized, save time and reduce clerical errors.  

3. What data is synced with QuickBooks Online?

Work supports the following data sync during the onboarding sync:

• Two-way sync of Clients between Work and QuickBooks
• Two-way sync of Sites between Work and QuickBooks 
• One-way push of Invoices from Work to QuickBooks
• One-way push of Payments from Work to QuickBooks

Work supports the following data sync during the continuous/manual sync:

• Two-way sync of Clients between Work and QuickBooks
• One-way push of Invoices from Work to QuickBooks
• One-way push of Payments from Work to Quick

*Pushing Invoice and Payment information to QuickBooks are optional features

4. I have two QuickBooks Online accounts. Can I use both with a single Work account?

No. QuickBooks Online Sync must have a one-to-one relationship where Work can sync to only one QuickBooks Online account at a time.

5. How do I import my QuickBooks products & service list into Work?

Products and services that are saved in a QuickBooks Online account can be exported in a QuickBooks Report then Work has the ability to import that list.

6. Will items sync between Work and QuickBooks Online?

Items will not sync between Work and QuickBooks Online, but they will be included as line items on your Invoices.

7. Does Work sync with QuickBooks Self-Employed?

No, Work does not sync with QuickBooks Self-Employed. Even though it is an online product, it does not fall under the QuickBooks Online small business accounting umbrella.

Preparing for QuickBooks Online Sync

Client Sync

1. How do I prepare my data for syncing?

To ensure a successful sync, follow the steps in our Getting Started with QuickBooks Online article. Here are some general tips to get you started:

• Make sure there are no duplicates in either system
• Check that all required data is entered into both systems
• Ensure that all required data is accurate and correct

2. What if I have the same customer in QuickBooks and Work?

QuickBooks Online Sync will automatically detect they’re the same customer by looking at the Company Name.

3. What if I do not have Company names in my QuickBooks?

We use Company names and Customer Emails as the primary identifiers for matching. Having blank information on one or both of these fields can result in various errors during the sync. Some of these errors can include:

• Creating a duplicate record in Work
• Creating a duplicate record in QuickBooks Online
• Not updating records in either system because of naming conflicts

4. If I add a new customer in Work, do I need to do the same in QuickBooks Online?

No, there is no need for manually updating Customer records in QuickBooks Online once you have enabled the sync. When a new Client is created in Work, a matching record will be created in QuickBooks Online the next time it syncs.

5. I have inactive customers in QuickBooks. Will those be imported into Work?

No, only customers that have an Active status in QuickBooks Online will be synced to Work.

6. Can I sync sub-customers into Work?

Yes, Sub-customers from QuickBooks can be created as Sites in Work during the initial sync. 

Invoice Sync

1. When I set up QuickBooks Online Sync, will it import my past invoices into Work?

No. Only invoices that are created or updated in Work after QuickBooks Online Sync is enabled will be synced to QuickBooks.

2. Which account in QuickBooks does the invoice sync to?

The invoice amounts will be allocated to any of your QuickBooks Revenue account. You will be asked to select the specific Revenue account to use for the sync during the set-up.

3. Why do I not see my Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable accounts on the Invoice accounts list?

QuickBooks does not allow Accounts Receivable type accounts to be used against line items for the Income or Expense accounts. However, QuickBooks automatically adds items to your Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable in addition to whatever Income Expense accounts you are posting to while the amounts have not yet been paid.

4. Will the QuickBooks Online Sync update my parts and materials list in QuickBooks?

No. QuickBooks Online Sync cannot sync inventory and stock level adjustments in QuickBooks.

5. If I create my invoice in QuickBooks, will it sync to Work?

No. The direction of sync for invoices is a one-way push from Work to QuickBooks Online. We recommend you create the invoice in Work, and the invoice information will be updated in QuickBooks the next time it syncs.

6. What happens if I need to change an invoice after it has already synced?

Since invoices are pushed one-way, the Work invoice will always be the master record. Make sure you make all changes to the invoice in Work. These changes will be updated in QuickBooks Online.

7. Are taxes synced as part of the invoice?

No. Tax amounts that are applied to individual items in Work will not sync to QuickBooks. However, each line item on the pushed invoices will indicate if this item was taxed or not. Based on this indicator, users can choose to apply the correct tax in QuickBooks Online.

Payment Sync

1. Which QuickBooks account are the payments synced to?

You can select any account marked as “Bank” or “Other Current Assets” for payments to be allocated to.

2. Can I edit payment records in Work, like an invoice?

No. All payment records in Work will create a new payment record in QuickBooks Online. If a payment record is changed in Work, a new record will be created in QuickBooks with the new information.

3. Can I delete a payment record in Work and re-enter it to update QuickBooks?

No. Deletion of records is not supported. If payments need to be deleted in both systems, a user must log in to both systems separately and delete both payment records manually.

4. Why are the payment amounts in Work different from QuickBooks Online?

This is caused by a difference in rounding in the two systems, and how the tax is applied. Work applies tax amounts to each individual line item’s unrounded values (up to 4 decimal places). When synced to QuickBooks, the tax is applied to the entire invoice total and only up to 2 decimal places. This can result in a difference of a few cents.